The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre occurred in France on August 24, 1572, during a period of intense religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. The violence began in Paris when a group of Catholic extremists targeted Protestant leaders attending the wedding of Henry of Navarre and Margaret of Valois. Over the following days, thousands of Protestants were killed across France, with estimates ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 deaths. This event marked a significant escalation in the French Wars of Religion and deepened the divide between the two religious groups, leading to further conflict in the years that followed.